Confienza is a ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' (municipality) in the

Province of Pavia The province of Pavia ( it, Provincia di Pavia) is a province in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy; its capital is Pavia. , the province has a population of 548,722 inhabitants and an area of ; the town of Pavia has a population of 72,205. ...

in the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

region

Lombardy Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...

, located about 50 km southwest of

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

and about 50 km northwest of

Pavia Pavia (, , , ; la, Ticinum; Medieval Latin: ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy in northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was the capit ...

. Confienza borders the following municipalities:

Casalino Casalino is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southwest of Novara. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,469 and an area of .All demograph ...

Granozzo con Monticello Granozzo con Monticello is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southwest of Novara Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Nova ...

Palestro Palestro is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pavia. It is located on the banks of the river Sesia. History Although located in area settled by Celts, Etruscans, ancient Rome, Romans and Lombards, Palestro is mentioned for the first time ...

Robbio Robbio is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 45 km west of Pavia. It is part of Lomellina traditional region. Robbio borders the ...

Vespolate Vespolate is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southeast of Novara. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,054 and an area of .All demographi ...

, Vinzaglio.

History

Confienza's name derives most likely from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

'' confluentia'', referring to a confluence of two rivers which have now changed their course. It belonged to the

bishop of Vercelli The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vercelli (in Latin, ''Archidioecesis Vercellensis'') is a Latin rite Metropolitan see in northern Italy, one of the two archdioceses which, together with their suffragan dioceses, form the ecclesiastical region ...

from 999, then to the lords of the nearby

obtained it through the intervention of emperor Frederick II. Later it was under the

Visconti Visconti is a surname which may refer to: Italian noble families * Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447 ** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan * Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...

(who gave it as a fief to

Alberico da Barbiano Alberico da Barbiano (c. 1344–1409) was the first of the Italian condottieri. His master in military matters was the English mercenary John Hawkwood, known in Italy as Giovanni Acuto. Alberico's ''compagnia'' fought under the banner of Saint ...

together with Belgioioso) and the

Sforza The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. They acquired the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century, Sforza rule ending in Milan with the death of the last mem ...

of Milan. Under the French domination of the Duchy of Milan, it was held by

Gian Giacomo Trivulzio Gian Giacomo Trivulzio (1440 or 1441 – December 5, 1518) was an Italian aristocrat and '' condottiero'' who held several military commands during the Italian Wars. Biography Trivulzio was born in Milan, where he studied, among others, w ...

. Later it was returned to the Barbiano of Belgioso, to which it belonged until 1797.

References

Cities and towns in Lombardy {{Pavia-geo-stub